Located in the northeastern region of the [[United States]], '''Connecticut''' borders [[New York]], [[Massachusetts]], and [[Rhode Island]]. It was the fifth state to enter into the union. Its capital is [[Hartford]]. It is the richest state in the country,<ref>[http://www.statemaster.com/state/CT-connecticut Statemaster.com]</ref> and its populace is the third smartest.<ref>[http://www.morganquitno.com/edrank06.htm Morgan Quinto]</ref>

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Located in the northeastern region of the [[United States]], '''Connecticut''' borders [[New York]], [[Massachusetts]], and [[Rhode Island]]. It was the fifth state to enter into the union. Its capital is [[Hartford]]. It is the richest state in the country[http://www.statemaster.com/state/CT-connecticut], and its populace is the third smartest.[http://www.morganquitno.com/edrank06.htm].

Towns rather than counties are the basic unit of local government in Connecticut, unlike most states.

Towns rather than counties are the basic unit of local government in Connecticut, unlike most states.

Civil Unions and Gay Marriage

Since 2005, Connecticut offered civil unions with the same rights as same sex marriage[1] In October of 2008, the Connecticut high court by a 4-3 vote ruled that even if civil unions have all of the same rights as traditional marriage, that the state had no choice but to allow marriage to gay couples. Connecticut was the third U.S. state to do so.[2] Between that time and the start of cermonies on November 12th, 2008, California voters rescinded the ruling of activist judges and restored traditional marriage in a referendum. Unlike California, the people of Connecticut rejected an amendment to their constitution to remove gay marriage. For the three years that civil unions were in place for gay couples, on average only 700 unions were requested per year.[3]